Here’s further proof that chocolatey loveliness can be found in all kinds of strange locations. I was in my local Holland & Barrett (a health food store, for those of you outside the UK) buying vitamins and pistachio nuts when I saw these sitting on the shelf.

My first thoughts were that there was something very un-chocolatey about the pinky purple colour of the coating, but a quick read of the packet informed me that it was indeed chocolate, albeit ‘coloured’ (and therefore more than likely originally white). Still, the thought of dried cherries interacting with chocolate was enough to persuade me to shell out £3 or so for the bag.

Back home, it was time to crack open the bag and have a nibble. First flavour is of course the chocolate melting on the tongue. Definitely white chocolate made purple – soft, sweet, light tasting stuff (possibly a little too sweet for me). Of course, the dried cherries require a good chewing in order for them to release their tart, sharp flavour which makes a delicious counterpoint to the sweetness of the chocolate.

A word of warning about these little fellers – they are SERIOUSLY moreish. It doesn’t take too long before you look down and see that you’ve decimated the bag – especially if you’ve been foolish enough to offer them around. I’ve not come across dried, chocolate coated cherries before (no doubt another reflection of our conservative tastes in confectionery) and as someone who likes both cherries and chocolate it’s a fine discovery.

These would make a great snack food, addition to a picnic, party treat, or TV watching nibbles – maybe even a good way of sneaking some fruit into your kids’ diets.